Stay-at-Home Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Like many couples, my husband and I will be spending our Valentine’s Day at home. We’ve actually spent the last several Valentine’s Day evenings enjoying a date night in. And I know we are not alone. Many couples choose to spend their Valentine’s Day at home. It may be you want to avoid the crowds at restaurants or you’re trying to save a little money. Or you may have discovered that finding an available babysitter for Valentine’s Day is more challenging than you anticipated. Whatever your circumstances, there is no reason Valentine’s Day at home can’t be romantic and fun. Check out these stay-at-home date ideas for Valentine’s Day.

Stay-at-Home Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day

1. Make Dinner Together

Cooking together can be a fun and romantic way to start off your Valentine’s Day date. To make sure your romantic evening doesn’t turn into just any other day, you may want to wait for your dinner until after your kids are in bed. Or, if that’s too late, consider setting your kids up with a movie or other quiet activity after they eat an early dinner of their own.

Choose your menu together or check out this Make-It-Together Valentine’s Day Menu to get you started. You can even dress up and add a tablecloth and some candles. Maybe even eat off the fancy dishes if you have any. Staying home doesn’t mean you can’t make Valentine’s Day special.

Cooking together can be fun even when things don’t go as planned. For our first Valentine’s Day, my husband and I planned to cook a special new recipe together. But we ended up burning it and eating toasted cheese sandwiches instead. We both remember that Valentine’s Day as a happy one we spent together.

2. Dinner and a Movie

Dinner and a movie is the classic romantic date and one that can easily be made a stay-at-home date. Choose a romantic movie (like the Notebook!) on Netflix or grab one from a rental kiosk. You can combine this with making dinner together. Or if you’re looking for pure relaxation, grab some take-out or delivery and enjoy it before or during the movie.

Choose a movie that is an old favorite, or look for something new. If you’re looking for ideas, take a look at this list of romantic films. Or see if you and your partner can remember a movie you watched during your courtship for a nostalgic movie choice.

3. Game Night for Two

My husband and I love game nights. Usually, we play games with friends or with our children as a family. But we also enjoy playing with just the two of us. Check out this list of classic board games to play on a date. Or choose one of your own favorites. (ours is Ticket to Ride!)

For some couples, playing video games is another way to bond and enjoy each other’s company. An advantage of a stay-at-home date is you can cater everything to your own style as a couple.

4. Dance the Night Away

What could be more romantic than slow dancing with your partner on Valentine’s Day? Set up a playlist of romantic songs ahead of time and consider dimming the lights and adding candles. Then you can enjoy swaying in each other’s arms to your favorite songs.

5. Watch Your Wedding Video

A stay-at-home date on Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity for a trip down memory lane. If you’re like my husband and me, you probably haven’t watched your wedding video in years, if ever. So, what better time to relive one of your most significant days as a couple.

If you don’t have a video, or you’re not married, take some time to go through photo albums and memorabilia from your relationship. Spend some time reliving happy times you’ve spent together.

6. Picnic on the Floor

For a more adventurous dinner date at home, consider setting up a picnic on the floor. If you have a fireplace, that makes this one even more fun.

Create a dinner menu of finger foods and lay a blanket on the floor for a unique and romantic dining experience.

7. Massages

Taking turns giving each other massages is a romantic and relaxing way to enjoy a stay-at-home date on Valentine’s Day.

You can make this as elaborate as suits your plans. Lighting candles and turning on soft music can create a relaxing and romantic atmosphere for your at-home spa.

Mix and Match for the Perfect Stay-at-Home Date

The beauty of a stay-at-home date is you can create the evening that perfectly suits you. You can mix and match any of these stay-at-home date ideas to customize your perfect romantic evening. Maybe start with making your own dinner and then move on to board games followed by massages. Or any combination that would make a great date for you. Don’t let staying at home stop you from having a romance filled Valentine’s Day.

About the author

Elizabeth Voyles

Elizabeth Voyles (@evoyleswrites) is a freelance writer and blogger specializing in parenting and organization topics. In between writing gigs, Elizabeth loves hanging out with her husband and their two young daughters, binge watching shows on Netflix and reading trashy romance novels.